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Lynn falters, Cardinals' bats quiet vs. Twins

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Outlook: Lynn, SP, STL 0:42

Lance Lynn rolled to start the season but would struggle for stretches and the 18-game winner might need to battle for a 2013 rotation spot

By Jenifer Langosch

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Twins tagged Cardinals starter Lance Lynn for three first-inning runs, which proved all they'd need; Minnesota won its sixth Grapefruit League game with a 7-0 victory over St. Louis on Monday.

Four of the Twins' first five hitters to face Lynn reached base with a single. In between, third baseman Trevor Plouffe drove home the team's first run with a sacrifice fly. A throwing error by Lynn compounded the inning for the right-hander.

Lynn went on to finish 2 1/3 innings and allowed only one other hit. He threw 48 pitches, 29 of which were strikes.

"I had some balls that just were base hits," Lynn said. "I was getting the ground balls I wanted. I just couldn't get them to hit it at somebody."

Minnesota right-hander Cole De Vries was better and more efficient. He needed only 23 pitches (14 strikes) to navigate through two innings, facing the minimum six batters. De Vries has not allowed a run in four spring innings.

"It was alright," De Vries said of his outing. "I'll take those quick ones all day, every day. Everything was working pretty good -- fastball location was alright, threw couple of offspeed pitches but [in the] general area where I wanted them."

The Twins relievers who followed him were similarly stingy. P.J. Walters allowed one hit in two innings. Ryan Pressly walked two and allowed a hit in his two innings of work.

Michael Wacha, who has shined as a non-roster invitee this spring, had another strong showing for St. Louis. He threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, one walk and striking out three. With runners on the corners and one out in the sixth, he struck out Chris Herrmann looking. Victor Marte relieved Wacha and stranded both runners.

In the seventh, the Twins' Aaron Hicks hit a two-run homer off Cards' closer Jason Motte, and in the eighth, Brandon Boggs hit a home run of his own off Edward Mujica.

Up next for the Cardinals: After an off day on Tuesday, the Cardinals will resume Grapefruit League play on Wednesday with a 12:05 p.m. CT home game against the Marlins. Starting the game for St. Louis will be Jake Westbrook, whose first spring start ended early after he was hit near his knee by a comebacker. Trevor Rosenthal, who is competing for the Cardinals' last rotation spot, is scheduled to pitch after Westbrook.